Oregon · Hiking

Light Bulb Loop

Light Bulb LoopPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
1.8 mi
loop
224 ft
climb
5,038 ft
high point
Loop
route
May–Sep
best months

Is LIGHT BULB LOOP open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Deschutes National Forest. It doesn't name LIGHT BULB LOOP, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Deschutes National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Light Bulb Loop is a 1.8-mile loop hike in the Bend/Fort Rock Ranger District of Oregon's Deschutes National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is rated easy, with a total elevation gain of 224 feet, and it makes a short outing for anyone already exploring this corner of the forest. The route is a loop, so you return to your starting point. The climb is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about 0.4 miles in, where the grade reaches 9 percent. The high point is 5,038 feet, and the low point is 4,855 feet, with the start at 4,933 feet. The whole trip takes about half an hour. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Sunriver weather station show July highs around 84°F and lows near 41°F, while winter highs there sit in the low 40s. That station sits roughly 850 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the loop run cooler. The Edison Snowshoe Long Loop is just 0.4 miles away, and the Light Bulb Tie cross-country ski route is 0.6 miles off. For an overnight stay, Little Lava Lake and Lava Lake Campground are both about 8 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit LIGHT BULB LOOP

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      40° / 20°

    2. Feb

      43° / 21°

    3. Mar

      50° / 24°

    4. Apr

      57° / 25°

    5. May

      65° / 33°

    6. Jun

      72° / 37°

    7. Jul

      84° / 41°

    8. Aug

      83° / 40°

    9. Sep

      76° / 34°

    10. Oct

      62° / 28°

    11. Nov

      46° / 24°

    12. Dec

      37° / 19°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sunriver, OR, 9.9 mi away at 4,180 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

EDISON SNOWSHOE LONG LOOPPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

EDISON SNOWSHOE LONG LOOP

Next door

2.98-mile out-and-back snowshoe out-and-back in Oregon with 272 ft elevation gain.

Dynah-Moe HummPhoto: Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Dynah-Moe Humm

~1 min drive

12.80-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,078 ft elevation gain.

Summit EastPhoto: Kris Arnold from New York, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Summit East

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3.20-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,803 ft gain.

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Edison-Lava Trail

~2 min drive

19.64-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,502 ft gain/loss.

Swampy LakesPhoto: bilbord99, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Swampy Lakes

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1.00-mile out-and-back trail at Swampy Lakes in Oregon with 105 ft of elevation gain.

Swede Ridge LoopPhoto: bilbord99, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Swede Ridge Loop

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Moderate 6.24-mile out-and-back ridge hike with scenic views.

West RidgePhoto: Kris Arnold from New York, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

West Ridge

~10 min drive

2.62-mile out-and-back trail on a ridge in Oregon with 1,211 ft gain

RIDGE LOOPPhoto: bilbord99, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

RIDGE LOOP

~9 min drive

4.34-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 930 ft elevation gain.

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Tyler's Uphill Tie

~7 min drive

12.18-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 221 ft gain and 1,616 ft loss.

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Swampy-Dutchman Trail #40

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6.32-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,242 ft elevation gain/loss.

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